Tribal Tattoo Culture

For the Mentawai, tattoos are eternal clothes, a defining of identity, kinship and a measure of wisdom. Tattoos are revered in this way as nothing else in life, no type of property, can be taken to the point of death.

Meraki Fade spent many months living among the Mentawai in Rainforest Uma longhouses, learning the significance of how different designs and body placements hold unique definitions and rites of passage, forming in an entire body piece akin to clothing.

Conducting research and interviews via a translator, Meraki Fade was a guest at Shamanic rituals and ceremonial dances rarely seen by Westerners.